The Chemistry of Chance
by Sixth Night
Summary: Chance, fate, destiny. Whatever name you give it, it always seems to interfere with everything. And I was just along for the ride. [Slightly AU][Tifa POV][Tifa x Tseng]
1. Proficiency in Polynomials

* * *

The Chemistry of Chance  
_Proficiency in Polynomials  
_

* * *

_There's nothing like the bittersweet smell of espresso to calm nerves and refocus a frazzled mind. At least that's what they tell me. They being the many students in my class who make it a habit to study at coffee houses. So I thought I'd give it a try, just once. I was having very little luck with homework, so I slipped into a loose-knit sweater and jeans, packed my books and headed downtown for a cup. And that wasn't all I was going to get. I didn't know it then, but life was about to throw some serious kinks into what I thought was my destiny. _

I felt better the minute I passed through the door. The aroma of fresh coffee tantalized while the glow of soft orange lights relaxed. It was a perfect combination. I was already holding hope that the atmosphere would spur my brain into cooperation.

After ordering a macchiato, I claimed a corner booth and arranged a series of books and notebooks over the wooden table top. Getting settled was easy. Taking the first step to solving the latest mathematical adventure was not. Fumbling through a series of mental notes, I set to writing out the problem and washing it down with a drink. The extra shot of espresso certainly made for an interesting taste, but I decided I liked it.

A half an hour had me with a few complete equations, but struggling on a particular number. It was absolutely frustrating. I palmed my forehead, releasing a pent up breath of annoyance. Suddenly, I wished I hadn't been so ambitious as to go back to college. I was fine with literature and art, but science and math had me running for the hills. If only the general education classes could be bypassed.

"You look a bit stressed."

The voice startled me and interrupted my train of thought, but it also gave me something to blame the failed equation on. I glanced up, pencil poised above the last number I'd written. I'm sure I looked surprised when I saw his face. "I, um… yeah, this math is horrible."

Tseng shifted his weight onto one foot, glancing over me and at the penciled writing. He looked as perfect as ever in his pressed, tailored shirt and slacks.

Of all the people to run into. "It's pretty basic, but it's never been my strong suit," I commented.

"It isn't all that basic. In fact, it's quite complex. I struggled at first."

"You've studied this?"

"Don't look so surprised. Turks aren't all brawn and no brain."

"I… I wasn't implying-" I wasn't, but I could feel my cheeks grow warm with embarrassment. I couldn't just explain away the surprise in my voice. I paused, then, "I was _not_ implying that at all."

"Good. I might have been offended." He wore just enough of a smile to let me on to the fact that he was joking.

"Wouldn't want that…" I returned to the equations, but the idea of working through them while someone with more experience watched irked me. "Are you planning on critiquing my method?"

"Not at all. I was going to ask if you'd like a few pointers."

Now that he mentioned it, a few pointers sounded pretty good. "Sure, what've you got?"

Rather than sitting across from me as I'd expected, Tseng took a seat beside me. The bench was long, but I was in the middle and we were practically shoulder to shoulder. It made me slightly uncomfortable, but I was betting that he didn't want to bother with rotating the paper every couple of seconds to play show and tell. I didn't budge.

"First, have you given much thought to the method you are using?"

"I… well, no. I just try to remember and follow the steps that the professor goes over."

Tseng glanced sideways at me; his eye roll would have beaten out anyone else's. "Forget the professor and his methods. Can you keep a secret?"

I was puzzled, but I nodded "yes."

"Professors aren't always proficient. I'd start by finding an understanding of the problem. Don't just try to solve it by calling up what you've seen drawn on a dry-erase board, identify what the problem is asking you to solve. Once you've got that, devise a plan of action. Different classifications call for different techniques, try looking at the options and choosing one that makes sense to you." Tseng paused a beat. "Once you have a technique, execute it. When you have your answer, look back at that answer and ask if it is reasonable. Use another variable, explore your steps, and see if the answer makes sense given the problem."

I glanced at Tseng, hiding a bit of relief. I'd considered the idea that professors weren't always proficient in their methods, and had assumed that they chose what would be easiest to teach rather than what was easiest for me to do. "That makes more sense than the drawn out explanations I've gotten in class, actually."

"It's a strategy that works for many things."

"So what technique would you use on this?" I pushed the paper an inch or two, watching his eyes scan the problem.

"Factoring polynomials. What fun," he said through a grin. "Simplify."

"Simplify?"

"The easiest step to overlook. You need to have the standard form. If you have a polynomial equation, put all terms on one side and 0 on the other."

He wrote his standard format below my problem, _x³ + 6x² + 12x + 8 0._

"Find and decide on which possible rational roots to pursue. Descartes' Rule of Signs can tell you how many positive and how many negative real zeroes the polynomial has."

"Right."

I worked with that and once I found the correct solution, he continued.

"Divide by your factor. This will leave you with a reduced polynomial whose degree is 1 less. For the remainder of the problem, you'll work with the reduced polynomial and not the original. If the reduced polynomial has degree 3 or higher, go back to step 3; otherwise continue to step 5."

"Uh-huh." And I did.

"Now you're down to a quadratic or linear equation, which you already know how to solve."

"I do."

"Then solve it."

So I did. I back-tracked and found the answer I'd come to completely reasonable.

"Perfect," he remarked.

Tseng's smile was infectious. I smiled wide, rather proud of how quickly I had worked through the problem with his strategy. "What strategy is that?"

"Everyone's favorite: the repetitive sort. It is considered an iterative strategy, since the middle steps are repeated as long as necessary."

I mocked a sigh of relief and swept my palm across my forehead. "I'm glad that's over…"

"It isn't so bad."

"You're right. I think I'll research my own techniques from now on."

"You should breeze through the remaining problems."

"I don't know about that, but…"

"You will."

"Well, thank you, Tseng. I appreciate it. Can I buy you a cup of coffee for your time?"

"I think I'll manage without."

"What'll a cup of coffee hurt?"

"You never know, Lockhart, could be the death of me. I've already had my limit."

I smiled, hiding the itch I felt every time someone called me by my last name. It was so impersonal. Then again, it was Tseng.

"Wouldn't want you to O.D. on caffeine, how about sugar instead?"

"You are relentless, bribery by pastry?"

"Not at all, I already have what I want so bribery isn't necessary. I just feel guilty accepting help and not returning the favor."

He cocked a brow. "Then wouldn't the appropriate payback be help of some sort, not sugar and caffeine?"

I wondered briefly where he was going, but played along just to see. "And what sort of help would this be?"

"Hm. Haven't thought of it yet, but I'll let you know when I do."

I nodded despite the fact that I knew I probably wouldn't see him again. I was rarely in this part of town except to dodge traffic on my drive home from the university. I had no idea where he spent his nights. "You do that."

"Enjoy the math."

Like that was going to happen. "Sure."

I watched his perfected ponytail swish as he walked toward the door. By the time I completed the last of the assigned problems, the coffee shop was deserted and the workers were cleaning. I gathered my things and headed toward home.

In the years after Meteor and the excitement surrounding Sephiroth's clones, I had drifted from happiness to sadness, then to contentment. I made the decision to hire a manager for the bar along with a few workers, giving me spare time for classes. I worked the late shift occasionally, but mostly I did inventory and medial tasks on weekends and made appearances. I was just the owner.

Cloud had moved out on a mutual agreement. It had become too hard to live across the hall from one another after we found that we were meant to be friends, and just that. We keep in touch, and honestly our relationship has improved. Denzel and Marlene went with Barrett to take some weight off my shoulders. I was glad to see him pick up the role of a father. My existence was lonely, but I appreciated the focus I was able to direct toward college. I discovered that bar tending for the rest of my life would pay the bills, but it was not what I really wanted. I was still trying to find that.

By the time my mind refocused, I realized I had driven all the way home. The bar was relatively crowded, but I didn't feel like mingling. I nodded to a few people I recognized, checked in with Ian - the manager - and headed upstairs.

As my shoulder bag hit the chair, I hit the bed with a sigh. I spent the night curled with my favorite author and a mug of tea. Somewhere toward the middle, I calmed my restless mind and faded into sleep.

_-&-_

When I woke, I couldn't figure out why my thoughts had been so jumbled the previous evening. I blamed it on an overload of caffeine and math, but really I was jarred by the run in with Tseng. Looking back, I'm not sure if I believed it was the chance meeting or the sudden on-rush of memories he brought forth, but something about seeing him bothered me. I couldn't place it, so I moved on.

I showered and dressed, applied a little makeup and went downstairs for breakfast. In the mornings, no one is around anymore. Ian locks up after closing and heads home. People would only begin to show up towards noon, two hours before opening. As I wolfed down a bowl of cereal, I realized what I needed was a roommate. I'd have to think about that later. For now, I was running a little late.

Classes went as usual, predictable but entertaining. Notably, I did well on the math assignment but not so well with science. Maybe Tseng knew something about that? Well, I vowed not to find out. The last thing I needed was to be indebted to him. By the time I was through after four o'clock, I was hungry and feeling a little drained. I was glad it was Friday.

I go to Edge University. The campus was built shortly after life began to settle into order, so everything is new and clean. The drive, however, is not usually clean. The campus is near downtown, so navigating the rush hour from the office high-rises can get messy. And this afternoon was no different. As I sat in bumper to bumper, I let my thoughts drift. Somewhere in my distraction, a sports car decided to effectively cut me off and force me from the main road. I cursed, but left it at that. I was hungry anyway.

I merged into a side street and headed toward the main cluster of restaurants and shops. The choices for cuisine had expanded with the new growth of the city. Every imaginable cuisine is represented downtown, and tonight the fresh combinations from Costa del Sol sounded good. After stuffing my compact into a parking spot, I waded through the usual dinner crowd and into the grill. No sense in getting a table when I could easily eat at the bar.

I was half way through an island combo when I caught sight of the person taking a seat beside me. I tried not to choke on a fried plantain; twice in one week would have been enough, but twice in two days?

I swallowed, washed it down with soda and put on a smile. "What are you doing here?" Stupid question.

"I was about to grab a bite to eat."

Not unlike the answer I expected. "The plantains are great." I felt like a bimbo.

"I know. They're the main reason I come here."

"Really? Same here." Shiva… I sounded like an idiot.

I finished beating myself up and went back to my plate. I listened when he ordered the same combo I had ordered, and tried to force my brain to come up with the reason I felt so strangely around Tseng. There was something, but the synapses just weren't popping.

He was just taking his first bite of cilantro rice when I spoke. "You know, I aced the math assignment."

He looked up. "Did you?"

I nodded, forking another bite. "Yep. But science was another story." _Damn_. I hoped he'd ignore that. I shoved the forkful in and chewed.

"What are you studying?"

No such luck, Lockhart. I deflected. "Talking about school on a Friday night is bad luck."

He shot me an odd look, but didn't press. "I'm glad you did well."

At least he knew when to drop subjects. "Me too."

When I'd finished what was left of my dinner, I handed the plate off and leaned on both elbows after paying. I looked at Tseng, watching his jaw flex while he chewed. Eventually, I was looking through him, trying to figure out my behavior.

"Does my eating entertain you?"

His question broke my thoughts and I refocused on him. I was spacing a lot lately, with little explanation. "Sorry about that." I was. Staring wasn't usually a habit of mine.

As he pushed his plate aside, I noticed the flower wilting in the vase beside him. Synapse. I pictured Aerith holding flowers and smiling. Tseng had a thing for Aerith a long time ago. He reminded me of her, bringing to light old feelings I'd never really confronted. I missed her companionship. Maybe that was where the roommate thought had come from. I had been lonely with no one around but barflies and staff.

He must have caught the expression I had. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt so down. I knew I'd be picking this apart tonight.

"Can I get the check, please?" He wasn't speaking to me. I took a deep breath, relaxed.

I watched as he rummaged through his wallet, looking a little lost.

"Shit."

"Lose something?" I asked.

"I left my card on my keyboard. The dangers of online purchasing."

"No cash?"

"None."

I saw my opportunity. "Well, it looks like I get to help you out after all."

That seemed to trouble him. "I think dinner is a bit more than some help with math problems."

"It's not a big deal." I plucked my card from the front of my wallet.

"It is. Now we're uneven again."

"I don't mind."

"I'll pay you back. I can run and grab the card, get some cash out now."

"Don't worry about it, Tseng. It's late. Pay me back some other time if you have to."

The bartender took my card, and Tseng palmed his forehead.

"I'll be quick."

"You're going to annoy me." He really was. What was it with men who couldn't accept a little help because of something as simple as this? It's not like he was broke and I was cutting a welfare check.

"Okay." I could practically hear the wheels turning in his head. "I guess I could drop it by tomorrow, even Sunday." Smile.

Was he flirting with me? Probably not, I snapped back… arguing with myself. Good. "You know where the bar is, right? Either day, I'll probably be around."

My card came back with two receipts. I signed one, tucked the other into my wallet.

"Thanks, Tifa. I'll drop by over the weekend."

"All right."

We exchanged awkward smiles as we both pushed off our chairs at once. He gestured 'after you' and I started toward the door. I couldn't help but notice that he was trailing behind as I walked to my car.

"Plan on following me home?" I voiced the thought before thinking about the implications.

Tseng, for once in his life, looked baffled. At once, he recovered, "No, just going to my car."

He pointed a finger, and I followed to the car parked beside mine. There was enough chrome and muscle to fill the Northern Crater, I wondered if he was compensating. Or stalking me.

"Night," was all I could manage as I climbed in, careful not to bump his statement of a car with my door. I was never impressed by the show of wealth or testosterone through cars or other toys.

As I drove home, I tapped the steering wheel to the beat of my favorite CD and even tried singing a few lines, but nothing really lifted my spirits. I couldn't keep from wondering why I was feeling so pathetic lately. The only explanation was that I was bombarded by feelings about things long past. I'd be back to normal after some rest and a little fun. A light turned red and I stopped, digging my cell out of my purse. I dialed a familiar number and listened to the ring.

"Tifa?" Her voice sounded tinny on the other end, but cheerful as ever.

"Hey, Yuffie. How's everything?" Green reflected off my hood and I continued my drive.

"Good, what's up?"

"Feel like doing something tomorrow night?" No matter what was going on, Yuffie was always a source of fun and she could help with just about anything. I was glad for her friendship.

"Of course! I can be there 'round five-ish, how's that?"

"Perfect, I'll see you then."

We disconnected and I was already feeling better. We had a lot of catching up to do.

I arrived home to a rowdy crowd, but Ian informed me that everything was fine. I checked in with one of the bartenders Ian had brought in about a month ago.

"Hi Kiana."

She was mixing a mango ice cocktail, but looked up with a smile. "Hey, Tifa."

"Do you need a hand?"

"I think we'll be okay tonight. Relax, you look exhausted."

And I felt it. "Thanks."

I was upstairs in minutes, glad that I had such great staff. It really had improved business. We were one of the few decent bars in this part of Edge, and it showed. The weekends were packed with people from all walks of life but few from the underbelly.

I stripped, combed my hair, and fell into bed, foregoing my usual nighttime ritual. I had a long week, and the idea of sleeping in was heaven and I couldn't wait to get there. Though the walls vibrated with music and I could hear loud conversation, I was asleep within seconds.

_The next day would really reset a few things in my life, and I would begin to learn intimately what the word chance really meant._

* * *

So, there it is. I've been playing with this idea for quite some time, and I have to admit, I am so excited with it. Besides the outward chemistry of the pairing, I want to explore and see if there could actually be anything else realistic to it. And this is a start.

I chose a slightly different spin on Tifa's attitude and she has a "new" life in a way. This is a few years down the line, so she would be a little different anyhow. I also chose first person because I have yet to write anything in this point of view and wanted a challenge. I have been reading a series of books written in first person to get a crash course, how did I do?

I feel there's quite a bit of freedom with Tseng. We know he's a leader. He's collected and intelligent, outwardly calm and etc. but we don't get to see much else. I took the liberty of giving him a few other facets which I'll be expanding on throughout the story.

Anyhow, thoughts or suggestions would be lovely. I am anxious to hear what readers have to say. Reviews truly are inspiration :)


	2. Gin Savvy

* * *

The Chemistry of Chance  
_Gin Savvy (revised)  
_

* * *

When I rolled out of bed the next morning, I was up for good. Nothing like being lost in dreamless sleep and then waking up as your face hits the floor. I always hated it when that happened. 

I rolled my tangled self over and laid there for a moment, watching a spider carefully tend to her web in the high corner of my wall. She was larger than I was used to seeing around the apartment, but her hard work somehow made me feel like killing her would be cruel. She could stay, unless I turned up with a bite the next morning.

I gathered the covers that had accompanied me to the floor and tossed them onto the bed in a heap. I didn't feel like making it look nice and Yuffie wouldn't care. After getting cleaned up, I went downstairs and grabbed the paper off the porch. I didn't usually make use of the columns except to dry the windows after a good cleaning, but the front page article caught my eye.

"Edge University student survives close call," I read aloud as I set the paper on the counter. Comforting, just what I like to read about first thing in the morning. I threw open the front page and grabbed a banana, peeling as I read.

The article ran a few paragraphs long, telling of the sophomore who had been reporting a stalker. No one had bothered to help her, and things escalated last night. She managed to lock the man out until neighbors, curious about the disturbance, came out and scared the man off. Police had no clue where to start.

The bar wasn't the only reason I didn't live on campus. I left the paper and finished the almost-ripe banana. As I tossed the peel, I wondered how someone could get to the point of stalking another person.

The phone interrupted my thoughts, ringing and echoing off the walls. I grabbed the receiver and answered, sounding distant.

"Hey, Tifa."

If I was ever surprised in my lifetime, it was in that moment. I was usually the one who did the calling, and it'd been a long time since he'd taken initiative. It was just his style.

I tried not to stutter; for once I managed to sound normal. "Cloud. Hey, what's up?"

"I just saw the paper. I wanted to make sure everything's okay."

"Oh," I said, genuinely touched. "Everything's fine. You know I don't stay around campus any longer than I have to."

"I know, but if you run into any trouble, just let me know."

The protectiveness was something I was used to, but it still got right under my skin. Sometimes I still found myself wishing… but no. I wasn't going to go there. I was over it most of the time, but then I'd surprise myself with thoughts that just didn't have a right to be on my mind.

"You still there?"

The spacing had to go. "I'm here. Sorry, I dropped something." Liar. And I thought he could sense it, too, because things got awkwardly quiet for a second.

Then he broke the silence. "Oh. Well, I'm glad you're okay. Be careful, all right?"

"Of course. Yuffie's coming out for a while, she can always shuriken their asses."

He laughed, but it sounded a little like surprise. He'd once told me that whenever I cursed, it sounded like a school-girl trying to be a hard ass. At the time, I'd mercilessly tickled him. Now it brought a rueful smile. He had a point, though. I did have a sort of high-pitched, girly voice.

"Well, have fun. Tell her I said 'Hi.'"

"I will. Take care, Cloud." I held my tongue, avoiding the usual "call once in a while, would ya?"

"Talk to you soon."

He disconnected and I listened to the dead air for a minute. I was unsure of my shaky knees and hands, not really bothering to set the phone in its cradle the right way. I still don't know why he had that power over me. We didn't work. Not the way I wanted us to. I was moving on, though, and he was too. I had to put it in the past where it belonged.

I cleaned wildly for over an hour following the call. Then I did inventory. After that, I felt much better. When Yuffie walked in at one, my hair was tied up in a bandana and I'd tossed the shirt I'd been wearing over a tank top.

"Well don't you look like the perfect housewife."

"Oh, shut up," I shot back, but we both laughed.

I was cross-legged over a pile of receipts, but hopped up to greet Yuffie. We embraced; I gave her an extra squeeze, and then let her go. I was happy to see her, silly jokes and all.

"You're gonna have to get rid of those now," she said, pointing at my work.

"I know. I've got the bar covered and I won't have to worry about it all weekend."

She rubbed her hands together, almost gleefully. "Good! What's the plan?"

"I hadn't gotten that far yet," I admitted with a shrug.

"If you don't have to be here," she started, and I knew I was in for it. "We should seriously go stay at one of those nice resorts downtown! Hit one of those upscale bars or something."

"Yuffie, that sounds a little over-indulgent."

"No way! It sounds like fun. Fun is definitely what it sounds like."

"True, but—"

"_Tifa_! It'd be really fun. Come on, _please_?"

She was begging, and I was having a hard time coming up with a reason not to go. I had to hand it to her; she always came up with plans that sounded like a lot of fun. I was never big on bar-hopping, but every once in a while it was fun to see what was out there. I was about to cave when I remembered a good excuse.

"You're right, it does sound fun. I really wish that could work," I said with genuine disappointment.

She looked at me rather pointedly, hands resting on cocked hips. "And why can't it?"

"Well… I've got someone coming by for a second later on tonight to drop something off."

"Just tell them to drop it by the hotel, unless it's totally out of their way. Or leave it here?"

"I don't know where he lives, and I don't have his number."

"So it's a he," she said, looking more curious than I was comfortable with. "Who is it?"

"Tseng. I ended up buying him dinner last night because he forgot his card and didn't have cash." I tried to act casual about it, but I was scraping my shoe at a stain on the floor, suddenly more interested in the stain than in pursuing the conversation.

"Were you on a date? With _Tseng_? Gods, Teef, where've I been."

And my disinterest was validated. Leave it to Yuffie to draw those conclusions. I should have told her the whole story. "No, no. Not a date, just a coincidence. We happened to be at the same place around the same time."

"Ah. Did you talk to him? 'Cause, I mean, I've always wondered what he's like. He was so professional all the time."

"He's not like you might expect. Nicer than I'd imagined, but a little quiet."

"Interesting. I always thought he was pretty hot for a Turk," she confessed, grinning past what I assumed were probably schemes bouncing around in her head.

For a minute, I envied her openness. "Well, maybe Gaia almost coming to an end changed him, too."

"It changed a lot of things… but that's not a fun topic. You should have him bring it by one of the bars. I bet he lives downtown. Maybe he'd bring along one of the others."

Was she seriously trying to set something up with the Turks? I gave her an inquisitive look. "Ah, Yuffie, where exactly are you going with this?"

"I bet he lives downtown. That way you won't have to worry about it."

I was still suspicious, but she did have a point. I could trust Ian to take care of it, but I felt like it was rude to have Tseng go all that way if he did live downtown and we were going to be in the area, but... "There's still one problem, though. I don't have his number."

"It can't be that hard to get!"

"No one at Shin-Ra's going to hand out an employee phone number, if that's what you're thinking."

"Wanna bet?"

I watched Yuffie flip through the phone book I keep under the bar top, determined to find the number for headquarters. When she did, she dialed and waited.

Her tone suddenly got ugly. "I have to speak to Tseng right away." She was making a face, getting into character. "I don't really care, lady. Get him on the phone, _now_."

I was having a hard time not laughing when she blurted the next line. "Oh, so that _lazy_, good for _nothing_ ex-husband of mine can't be bothered to work on a Saturday, huh? No surprise there."

Silence for a few minutes, and then, "Listen, Edith, I have to get a hold of him. I misplaced my phone book while I was distraught with grief… I want to work things out. You have to give me his cell. I just have to talk to him."

She was back and forth between angry and sad, just like an ex-wife might be. It was actually kind of convincing, especially when she faked a sob and begged one more time. When she started writing down a number, I wasn't surprised. She hung up seconds later.

It looked like I was going to the hotel after all.

"Okay, remind me never to make bets with you."

"Hey, I only got his company pager number." She just laughed while she dialed, then added an afterthought when she was finished entering my number, "I'd have gotten his cell if a guy had answered the phone."

"I wouldn't be surprised."

A few minutes after she'd hung up, the phone rang. She had this devious look, and I was afraid she might try something so I snatched the phone from her fingers and answered.

"Hello?"

"Hello. This is Tseng." He sounded completely professional. "I just got a page from this number."

"Hey," I started, uncomfortable under Yuffie's intense stare. "It's Tifa."

"Oh," he began, sounding puzzled. "How'd you get a hold of this number?"

"That's a long story you'd probably rather not know."

"Oh, okay. What can I do for you?"

"I might be going into town tonight, so I was wondering if you're usually around the area."

Hm. That sounded mysterious.

"I, um, yes… I live downtown." He paused; I could tell I'd made him nervous.

I was suddenly feeling a little embarrassed at what he might think I was implying and quickly clarified. "I'm going to be staying at the Aesir Hotel and was just wondering if it'd be more convenient for you to drop the gil by there instead."

"Nice choice, the pool is something else."

"Is it? I always imagined staying there sometime."

"One of the nicest hotels we've got here in town, I believe. Anyhow, I can meet you at the lounge if that works, Tifa. It's in the lobby."

And I was all too aware of my first name. "That'd be great. How about seven?"

"Seven it is."

"Great, see you then.

We disconnected and I noticed Yuffie, intense as ever, waiting for me to fill her in.

"He'll be at the lounge at seven," I told her.

"I was more interested in your hotel choice."

"I've wanted to stay there ever since it went up. Tseng says the pool is great."

"I think I know which one it is. It's the one with the high-rise tower and all the fancy valet entrances, right?"

"That's the one."

"Nice! This is seriously going to be the best weekend."

"I guess I'd better get packed, huh?"

"Ya think?"

It was going to take a while to pick out everything I wanted to bring along.

_-&-_

When I pulled my compact up to the valet, I felt out of place. My little coupe was nothing next to the sports cars and luxury sedans. There were all sorts of cars that would have looked at home right next to Tseng's metal monstrosity.

"Good evening, ma'am," the uniformed valet attendant said. He'd opened my door, and now he was offering his hand. I accepted and looked over the roof to see Yuffie in the same position.

It was quite a sight to see; I was in jeans and Yuffie wasn't over-dressed, either. But neither of the attendants seemed to mind, probably because a tip was a tip.

"Can we offer you luggage services?" he asked, sounding almost robotic.

Why not? We were here to be drowned in luxury and have fun. It was kind of nice. "That would be great. I made a reservation earlier for room 9-212."

"The ninth floor has a lovely view. The amenities are also exemplary."

I tried not to sound overly enthused, didn't want to startle the guy. "That sounds great."

We left our bags with the attendants and headed to the lobby, making our way through giant glass doors and past a large fish tank with every kind of exotic fish imaginable. Even my flats were tapping loudly on the cool marble; I looked at Yuffie with a cheesy grin and she answered with one even cheesier.

The women at the front desk were livelier than the valet boys, and we were checked in quickly. After being given an explanation of the general layout, we made our way to a hallway with elevators lining the walls.

"This is pretty incredible, huh?" Yuffie chimed in.

"So was the price."

"Hey, don't even think about that. If there's one perk to being the Lady of Wutai, it's the travel benefits. Besides, you really need to do this at least once in your life."

"But I still have to say thank you."

"You're welcome! I'm just psyched you came along."

When the elevator opened, dozens of people poured out—some in business suits, others in cocktail dresses. When we got into the elevator, I quickly pressed the button to close the door, along with floor nine.

The elevator doors parted to a lounge, plush pillows resting on over-stuffed couches with reading lamps on marble tables. We exited the elevator and veered to the right, following the room numbers until we came to 212.

When I opened the door, I was impressed by what I saw. The living area had to be twice as large as the one at the bar, and the plush suede couches were an upgrade to my old hand-me-downs. The TV hung on the wall, and it was exactly the kind I had wanted to put up at the bar. Further back, there were two plush queen beds with white linens. The bathroom was all done in marble with full-length mirrors, a glass shower, and a tub large enough for Barret to fit in. There was even a little TV in the corner above the sink.

By the time our luggage arrived and we finished chatting about how nice the room was, it was nearly seven. I was still in jeans, hair pulled back and little makeup. According to Yuffie, that was bad.

She sized me up like she would a new dress. "You should really dress up a little, you know."

"I was planning on it, but we're late!"

"He can wait. Just…" She unzipped the suitcase that I had set on the bed and dug in. "Wear this."

A black dress flew into my hands. It was one I'd picked up recently on a whim. I'd never worn it before, but tonight seemed like a good opportunity. I guessed the lounge would have a dress code.

_-&-_

When I stepped out of the elevator, it was well past seven. I could hear my peep-toe heels clicking with each step. The cowled neck and draped skirt of my dress all seemed to move as we made our way to the lounge.

The lounge was called Air, oddly enough. When we made it inside, the music gave me goose bumps. It wasn't overly loud, and it was a beautiful composition of classical and modern. The décor was elegant, but trendy.

I looked around the room, hoping to spot Tseng, and seconds later I did. He was sitting at one of the tables at the side of the room—all slicked back, jet black hair and a charcoal button up with sleeves flipped just below the elbow.

Before we got to his table, Yuffie grabbed my arm. "Hey, Teef?"

I stopped and looked back at her. "Yes?"

"I'm gonna grab a drink." She gestured vaguely at the bar. "Want anything?

I shook my head. "No thanks, maybe later."

"I'll let you know what's good."

Yuffie and I parted ways and I headed for Tseng. He stood as I approached the table—looking like a model straight out of the pages of one of those men's magazines—and pulled a bill clip from a pocket of his black pants.

"Paid in full?" He extended the bills.

I nodded and tucked the gil away, hoping no one thought anything of it. It did look a little strange.

"You look lovely," he said.

I swear my cheeks went three shades darker. "Thank you. Sorry I'm late, it took longer to get here than I thought it would."

"Not a problem. Traffic is unpredictable."

I didn't correct him. The traffic had been one thing; it was getting to the lounge that had taken longer.

"So what's it like living in the middle of all this?" I asked, suddenly realizing we were standing over the table. I sat down, and he followed.

"It's an experience."

I found a napkin to fold and unfold. "What do you mean?" I asked. _Fold._ "Haven't gotten used to the crowds and busyness?" _Unfold._

"It isn't so bad. But what about you, how do you manage living above the bar?"

"Ha," I sighed. "Sometimes I really consider finding someplace else and making offices of the rooms upstairs."

"Is it that bad?"

I noticed he was staring at my napkin art. I pushed it aside and propped my elbows on the table. "Some nights aren't a big deal, but others you'd think the whole place was possessed."

"Rowdy patrons and too much going on to focus on other things?"

I remembered my manners and how elbows are rude, so I tucked my hands into my lap. "That's part of it, yes. I end up doing work when I really shouldn't. Or I can't sleep because I think about what's going on."

Just as he was about to say something, a hand stretched across the table. It was Yuffie; I hadn't even realized she was close. "I'll be over across the way—" she winked at me "—if you need me."

"Okay, have fun," I said.

I watched her skip away and right up to a guy she must have found at the bar. She was always a flirt when she went out. I just hoped she wouldn't drive anyone too crazy.

"She seems to be having a good time," Tseng observed.

"I guess. She's a little wild when she wants to be."

"It is interesting that you're close."

I knew my expression begged an explanation, and he didn't keep me hanging long.

"You seem to be more reserved," he clarified, "soft spoken at times. She's rather… well, loud and outgoing."

I wasn't the least bit surprised, it was pretty obvious. "It's probably the difference in age. I've got four years on her, you know." I wondered just how old Tseng was. I'd place him around thirty, but I wasn't sure.

He interrupted my thoughts about age. "Would you like a glass of wine or anything else?"

"Actually, that sounds good. Should I..."

Before I could offer to go with, he was on his way to the bar. I felt strangely about letting him buy me a drink, but it really couldn't hurt. I didn't have anything better to do now that Yuffie had the attention of the guy she was teasing. I got the idea that Tseng was more of a gentleman, at the least a more traditional sort of man. Not accepting gil from a girl, ordering without really asking what I'd like. Or maybe it was his heritage.

Tseng came back with two glasses, both filled with dark red wine. Good. I wasn't really in a white wine kind of mood.

"Thank you," I said as he set my glass down and took a seat.

"You're welcome."

We took a sip in unison. _Mmm._ "This is really good."

"I'm glad you like it."

"So…" I was struggling to think of something else to say. I crossed my legs and bounced my foot absently. "You don't have any other plans for the night?"

"I can't say that I do."

No plans on a Saturday night. "The rest of the weekend?"

"Not yet. Are the two of you going to check out the pool tomorrow?"

"Of course. If it's nice, we might be there all day."

"It really is. There are a couple of pools, and they also built in a river pool. The current is nice and lazy."

"You know a lot about this place, don't you?"

"I lived here for a little while, before finding my condo."

Lived in a hotel? I knew people did that, but it always seemed detached and lonely. "What made you decide on that?"

"Nothing interesting. Say, do you import much as far as your inventory is concerned?"

Well, that wasn't jarring. His vague answers were beginning to bring out the worst in my curiosity. "As a matter of fact, I import quite a few different liquors. Mostly rum from Costa del Sol, and more exotic things from Wutai. I try to keep a well-rounded inventory because we see so many walks of life."

"Very nice. If you've got much from Wutai, I might have to stop by sometime."

"Oh, that's right. Aren't you from Wutai?"

"I was born there. It's more of a personal taste, though."

I was getting somewhere! And suddenly that made me feel awkward. I switched my legs around, bouncing the other foot. "Well, you're more than welcome to come down. I don't usually work during the week anymore, but I'll be around."

Somehow, the idea of Tseng stopping by the bar to have a drink seemed… Well, out of place. He didn't look the part of a guy who would set foot in a bar that stocked cheap liquor right beside the expensive stuff. It was odd. Maybe he was just being polite.

"I may take you up on that offer."

We both fell silent after that, enjoying the last of the wine. I searched for Yuffie, found her in almost the same spot, but entertaining another helpless guy with something she obviously found very amusing. I then inspected my empty glass for a moment, wondering if the silence was becoming awkward for him, too.

He cleared his throat, distracting me from the glass. I looked up to find his intense brown eyes reading my expression. I'd never noticed just how dark they were before. Darker than Barret's, almost. And such contrast to pale skin.

I wanted to squirm, to fidget with the table cloth, but instead all I could think to do was to offer a meek smile. For a second, the corner of his mouth tugged up. It was a half-smile that made my stomach flip-flop for a reason I didn't even want to know. It was Yuffie's insistence that he was "pretty hot for a Turk." Had to be.

"Would you like another?"

I nearly thought he was talking about smiles, but then I realized he was asking about wine. Must have been what he was looking for when he'd caught me inspecting the glass. "Um… Sure, that'd be great."

The truth was that I needed him to walk away for a minute. My face was feeling far too warm. Unless that was simply the wine, but I thought it had more to do with being embarrassed.

Just as he left the table, Yuffie slipped into his seat. "Okay, the guys here? They suck. They're all boring."

"Not your type?"

She made a disgusted face. "Tch. Are you kidding? They've all got sticks up their asses. Can't take a little teasing."

"What exactly are you teasing about, Yuffie?"

"Heh, that's the fun part. There's _sooo_ much to pick on! Vocabulary, daddy's money… just too much."

"Daddy's money?" I gave her a look, one that asked if she really meant that.

"Well, yeah! Why?"

"Who really paid for our hotel room?"

"That's not the point!"

I had a good laugh at her expression. "Well, maybe you should try teasing them a little less and complimenting them a little more? Guys like to have their ego stroked."

"Right. That sounds like fun."

She rolled her eyes and I wondered if she'd ever grow out of the school-aged teasing. It would probably happen in a year or two, or maybe if she found a decent guy to spend time with.

"Oh, here comes Tseng. I'll leave you two _alone_." She winked and hopped up, leaving me to feel a little rattled by what she was insinuating.

When Tseng set the glass of wine on my side of the table, I wanted to drain it, but settled for a casual drink.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

I noticed he had something other than wine, and curiosity got the better of me. "What've you got?" I asked, gesturing at his glass.

"Gin with a splash of vermouth, it's actually quite good."

"I've been looking for a good gin to keep on hand. I get some complaints about what I've got."

His face seemed to light up a little, it was engaging, in a way. "Is that so? Well, this place can't claim any better. The best tends to come from Kalm, or, if you know where to look, the Icicle area."

"Really?" I'd finally found a good subject.

"I know of a distiller in the Icicle area that exports the best gin I've tasted."

"Oh? I'd love to get a hold of them. I think it'd really help settle the complaints and bring in more customers."

"I haven't got the number with me, but I can always get it to you later."

"I'd really appreciate that, Tseng. I've been searching, but never imagined the Icicle area."

"It _is_ a little peculiar, isn't it?

"It is."

I finally uncrossed my legs when my suspended foot started to tingle. I hadn't realized I'd frozen in that position. As the circulation picked back up, the tingling got worse. I just hoped I wasn't cringing. Then I did worse than cringe. I yawned. I covered it with an open hand, but it was a yawn nevertheless. "I'm sorry. That was rude."

"Actually, it was charming."

Charming? What? _Oh._ It had to be sarcasm. There's no way he found a yawn "charming." "Thanks," I fired back.

"It isn't a problem at all. I was feeling a little tired as well." He finished his drink and slid the glass aside.

"You don't have to stay, you know." I felt rude again. "I'm not trying to get rid of you, but if you need to head out I'll be fine waiting for Yuffie."

"I'd hate to leave you stranded, she seems wrapped up."

I had to admit, I was having fun trying to get information out of him. He seemed to have a lot of depth, and I was curious to find what was there. But I'd find something to do until Yuffie was ready to go. "I'll be fine."

"All right, I'll be in touch with the number and information, then."

"I'll be looking forward to that. And thank you for the company and wine."

"My pleasure, Tifa. I enjoyed your company."

Well, that was flattering. As I watched him stand and angle to walk toward the exit, I was still trying to think of a reply. "Tseng," I started, he didn't hear me over a sudden shout from someone trying to call to a friend.

I reached without thinking, and wrapped my fingers around his bare wrist. He paused and looked down at me, and I couldn't hear the music anymore. His skin was warm and soft—smooth even. I immediately pulled my hand back, feeling like I'd crossed a line.

Rather than draw any more attention to my actions, I put on my best cover-up smile and told him that I'd enjoyed talking to him and would be grateful to have the new gin. He said he was glad to have run into me, and I wasn't sure how to take that. But he did leave in a bit of a hurry.

"Shit," I mumbled. Oh, well. I just hoped he'd still put me in touch with the Icicle area distiller. Sometimes things as simple as what I'd just done could be taken out of context. For a shy or reserved person, it might be an intrusion into personal space.

I headed to the bar and refilled that glass one more time only to drink it a little faster than anyone should drink wine. After I'd set the glass on the bar counter, I noticed Yuffie was coming my way.

"Hey, Yuffie." I greeted her with a crooked smile. I was feeling that drained glass.

"Did Tseng leave?" she asked, shouting. The music had changed as the night had progressed.

"He did. Your latest target?"

"Got his number!"

"Did you?" I gave her wide smile, I was excited for her. Maybe she'd taken my advice.

"I totally did. For once, someone with a sense of humor." She giggled, and I realized my advice probably wasn't taken just yet. "So did ya have fun with Tseng? You looked pretty interested."

"Interested?" I wrinkled my brows.

"Maybe that's the wrong word." She put her finger against her chin thoughtfully. "Just like you were having a good conversation, I guess."

"Oh, it was okay. He's supposed to track down a number for me. A distiller in the Icicle area that supposedly has the best gin."

"Is that what you were so smiley about?"

"It could bring in new customers. You know what that means."

"A new car?" she teased, nose wrinkled up.

I laughed; she'd always made fun of my car. "Maybe, if it works out that well." I yawned again, this time more obviously.

"Geez, Teef. Gettin' old?"

"Hey! I'm not that old yet."

"Yet. But you're close," she said, nudging me playfully.

"Whatever," I said, rolling my eyes. "I'm going to give you hell for it when you turn twenty-four."

"And you'll be two years from thirty by then, so be careful."

Damn. There was nothing I could get her on, for the moment. "I think I'm going to head up and relax. Maybe try out that bath."

"I'm gonna finish this—" she held up her half-full glass "—and then I'll be up."

"All right, I'll see you then. You've got a key, right?"

"Yep."

I had no idea where she'd hidden it, but that was better left a secret. I headed out, planning to go straight to the room. I was really looking forward to at least a shower. It'd been a little stuffy in the lounge. On my way to the room, I realized that I'd completely forgotten all about the campus stalker and Cloud's phone call.

_Despite the conversation and my boundary crossing moment, I hadn't even really begun to see, at that point, how much I should have been expecting. But I'd find out little by little, starting with the gin._

* * *

I'd love to hear any thoughts on this chapter. It was such a challenge to write. I spent a couple of days on the setting options and then two days just critiquing the interactions between Tseng and Tifa. I really hope it hasn't been disappointing. This is probably one of my favorite stories right now, just because it _is_ that much of a challenge to write. I also love the idea of Tseng and Tifa more every time I think about it. 

If you're wondering about the strange hotel name: I choose this name because Aesir are the principal gods of Norse Mythology. Many of the names in Final Fantasy VII could be referenced back to Norse Mythology, and being that the hotel is supposed to be upscale, I thought the name worked!

In any case, I'd love thoughts/suggestions/critiques and also anything on my portrayal of Tseng. I'm still completely new to him.

I hope you've enjoyed reading the second chapter! And I have to thank motchi, cedarville, and bofoddity for listening to me rant about this one and offering advice (and tons and tons of editing!).

I should also note that yes, I did upload this chapter a second time. That's because there were a few (okay, more than a few) errors and I rewrote a couple parts to sound better.

* * *


	3. Horsepower

The Chemistry of Chance  
_Horsepower_

* * *

The weekend flew by; I barely had time to see it. Yuffie and I slept in until noon Sunday and had a breakfast of fresh fruit poolside. The pool was everything Tseng had said it was and more. We spent the entire day laying out and having fun in the river pool, floating by waterfalls with fruity drinks. By the time we checked out, I had a summer glow and wrinkled finger tips.

The weekdays also flew by. Classes, a few fights in the bar, the whole week filled to the brim with things that took time but weren't all that important. By mid-week I found myself wondering if Tseng ever really did plan to give me that gin distiller's information. Early Saturday, I thought maybe I'd scared him off completely.

I sat down on the chair in the upstairs office of the bar and waited for my old computer to boot up. If he wasn't planning on giving me the information, I'd have to find it myself. But maybe he was just busy with work and other things. What if he hadn't found the time to get the information? Maybe he'd lost the paper. Then again, it doesn't take much to call and let someone know you can't find it. Sorry, Tifa, it's lost in the condo somewhere. I haven't had the time to look for it, but I'll get to it this weekend. Would that be so hard?

I sighed, suddenly feeling angry. The computer finished its slow start and I double-clicked the web browser. My search engine of choice turned up about twenty pages of results. Great.

I scrolled quickly through, scanning names and things. The filter picked up a few relevant pages, along with a whole lot of junk on the side. I had found a few distillers by the time I finished, but I wasn't sure which one was the distiller Tseng had referred to. Ordering a few cases from each would be a pain. Damn.

Why hadn't he just given me the name? Was a touch from me so unwelcome that he planned to pretend I didn't exist? After studying the names I'd jotted down, I tossed the pen and paper onto the desk with more force than was necessary. Men really didn't ever make sense. For all their complaining about how women were complicated, they sure didn't—

The phone on the desk rang and I felt my chest flutter. When I reached for the handset, I accidentally knocked it over and I followed it the floor. I answered on the fourth ring.

"Hello?" Crap. I always forgot that the office phone was on the bar's line. "Seventh Heaven, this is Tifa."

"Hello, Tifa. How are you?"

I scooted back against the desk and curled my legs comfortably. "Tseng?" I was getting used to his voice, but I couldn't be too sure.

"Yes, this is Tseng."

Finally! I contained myself. Or at least I tried. "Oh, I'm doing okay. How about you?"

"I've been better, but I can't complain too much."

He must have had a rough week and the thought had me feeling a little guilty about my rant. "Did something happen?"

"Oh, nothing much, just a very time consuming assignment. I had meant to get in touch earlier, but the circumstances weren't in my favor. I apologize."

I shifted my legs so that I could hug my knees, trapping the phone between my shoulder and cheek. "You don't need to apologize." But I found myself wondering what it would be like waiting on him all the time, never knowing when or if he'd come home from some of those 'assignments.'

"Well, I've just gotten back home and I have the paper in front of me."

I scrapped my thoughts for excitement over gin. "With the distiller information?"

"I can grab that in a moment. I actually meant the newspaper from last Saturday."

Oh, no. Everyone had been calling on that. Even Reeve had called me. I shifted again, finding a more comfortable spot on the floor. "I suppose you saw the article about Edge University?"

"I did. It's a little close to home. Has anyone given you trouble?"

Men could never resist coming to the rescue, but his worry surprised me. "No, no one has bothered me. But it has been a little strange on campus lately."

"I'd imagine that students are worried since they still haven't found the suspect."

"They are. Everyone's kind of quiet and gets to class as quickly as possible. I'm sure it will pass, though."

"It's usually like that after something of this nature happens. Trust takes a while to return."

"Yes, it does." I picked pieces of loose carpet, not really sure of what else to add.

"So, do you still want the distiller's information?"

Did I? What kind of question was that? "Of course!"

He laughed, probably at my excitement. "Let me just find the paper here."

I listened to him rustle around and tried to imagine if he was in a home office or a kitchen, a living room or a bedroom. It was hard to picture people like Tseng keeping a normal life in a normal apartment.

After a pause filled with wrinkling paper, he came back. "Ready?"

Oops. I scrambled up from the floor and back to the desk, grabbing my pen and piece of paper. "Yeah, go ahead."

"The name is Cavalia Spirits, and their number is 011-354-2-50428. You'll probably speak to Sula, she's very helpful."

I quickly took down the names and number. "Thanks," I said through a smile.

"No problem, Tifa. I do have one favor to ask, though."

I tilted my head, curious. "What's that?"

"I have yet to find anyone around here that stocks Cavalia and I don't think buying a case is very logical, would you mind if I buy a bottle from you when your shipment arrives?"

Ah! Made sense. Most distillers didn't sell direct by the bottle. "Absolutely not. In fact, I owe you one if this gin is as good as you say it is. How about I give you a call when the cases arrive?"

"That'd be great. I can swing by and pick it up whenever you get them."

"I'll be ordering as soon as I can, so it shouldn't be too long."

"Don't worry about time, I've waited this long. But I suppose I'll see you soon, then."

"Sure. What's your number?"

"My cell is 723-4095."

I scribbled the number and stuck the paper half under the keyboard. "I'll give you a call when it's here."

"Thank you."

"No problem, and thanks for getting in touch."

"I hope the gin will be a hit for your bar."

"I hope so, too. Talk to you soon."

"Bye, Tifa."

We disconnected and I immediately dialed the number for Cavalia, hoping that time differences wouldn't be in the way. Wait… Saturday, damn. I waited for the main directory message, selected Sula's extension and left a voicemail. With any luck, I'd place an order Monday.

_-&-_

The next Friday happened to be the thirteenth day of the month, and the bar was packed early on. I got back from classes around five-ish and there wasn't so much as an open plank of flooring, let alone a barstool. I guess people like to drink and avoid black cats and other nonsensical things. Fortunately, the gin was also waiting for me. Five business days, can't beat that!

"Shall we break open the new bottles?" Ian asked when I got behind the bar.

I shrugged my school bag higher onto my shoulder and nodded enthusiastically. "I think tonight is perfect timing."

"Great, I'll go ahead and do that."

"Just keep an eye on how much they drink and what the general reaction is."

"No prob, Tifa. Sure you don't want to test it out first?"

"Thanks, Ian, but I really don't like gin much."

I smiled the whole way up the stairs. When I got to my room, I tossed my things on the bed and grabbed my cell from my bag. Tseng deserved that bottle of gin; Sula really was easy to work with. After retrieving his number, I dialed and he answered quickly.

"Hi!" I chirped; I was a little more enthusiastic than I'd planned to be.

"Hey, Tifa. Did you get the gin?"

He must have equated my mood with the arrival. "Yes, I did. They shipped it out quickly."

"Under a week."

"Yes, I was impressed. They're great to work with."

"I'm glad your experience with them was pleasant."

"So would you like that bottle?"

"I'd love to have it. I'll be there shortly."

I was side-tracked for a moment, seeing a messy reflection in the mirror. I didn't think he'd come by so soon.

Tseng filled the silence. "Unless that's a problem?"

"Oh, not at all." I shook my head as if he could see. "I'll be around."

"Great, see you soon."

"See you."

I hung up and took another look at my reflection, and I couldn't resist the urge to fix it. I traded my old jeans and tee shirt for a nicer pair of jeans and a pretty open-back sweater. I studied myself. Too much.

I dug into my closet, pushing aside tops and sweaters. It was barely September, but as soon as the sun set, the temperature dropped. I settled on a light gray tank top layered beneath a charcoal sweater that shrugged off the shoulders. Perfect.

And I had to wonder; why was I worried about what I had on?

I quickly ran a brush through my hair, worked out a tangle, and headed down stairs with the intention to distract myself with a little work. A little wouldn't quite describe it. I went for the bar first, thinking I'd refill a few drinks or take a few orders. Instead, I ended up running from end to end at the counter. I couldn't complain, because the gin was making more than a few customers happy.

By the time I noticed Tseng an hour later, I felt drained. I looked it, too. Tseng, on the other hand, looked perfect again. He made his way through the crowd and spotted me. I had one of the girls cover the bar and I gestured for the stairs. He met me by the bottom step.

"Sorry, it's really crowded tonight." I fanned myself with spread fingers for a second, hoping to cool off. The sweater had been a bad idea in this crowd.

"Full moons and Fridays like this tend to bring out the worst. Are you doing okay?" He looked concerned when he asked. Maybe I looked worse than I thought?

"I'm just a little drained. Being around this chaos does that to me." I shrugged my shoulders and propped one foot up on the first step.

"And you've had class most of the day, haven't you?"

"Yes. And I should have eaten something a long time ago." I glanced at the clock. Half past six. I hadn't had a bite to eat since morning.

"I'd imagine it's a pain to eat in the kitchen with all this—" he swept an arm out toward the room "—right outside the door."

"It is sometimes. Just on nights like this."

"Do you feel like getting out?"

"Tonight? I'd have to say that it sounds nice. It's been a long day. Sometimes it'd be great not to come home to chaos."

"Well, how about this: since you were so kind as to let me have a bottle from your shipment, how about I take you to dinner? A little bit of a thank you and an escape."

Wow, unexpected to say the least. I hadn't been asked out by anyone who remotely interested me in ages.

Wait… Since when did Tseng interest me? "I, umm…" How could I say no? "Sure. That sounds good. I could use a break."

"What sounds good to you?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I could go for anything, really."

"Something nice, or something casual?"

I gave him a once over, hoping he didn't notice. He was wearing a navy dress shirt and black slacks. I couldn't picture him in the local grease shack. "I think either something nice, or something in the middle."

"I know the perfect place."

"And that would be?" I looked at him curiously, but he wasn't going to indulge me so easily. I could tell.

"You might like it."

Damn. "I'll be right back," I said, pivoting on my foot to take the stairs.

I had made it into my room before I finally let myself think. This was crazy. What was I thinking? Well, I wasn't really. I was completely curious about Tseng. When we'd run into one another, I'd been surprised and somewhat anxious. Two weeks ago I'd been nervous and intrigued. Now I was flat out curious about the pull I felt toward him. I wasn't accepting his offer to dinner to be polite. I just couldn't think of a single reason not to go and a part of me was looking forward to an evening out with him. He was an interesting man and I could tell that there was a lot more to him than he'd shown me so far. And with his chosen profession, I guessed him to be intelligent, fast-thinking, and daring, no matter how reserved he seemed. Maybe it was that charm of a man who happened to be mysterious and a little bit bad. I'd met so many women who could never seem to resist that kind of danger. And why shouldn't I enjoy a night out with a guy once in a while? So what if it happened to be Tseng?

I couldn't help but change again. If he'd only known that I'd changed a total of three times, he'd probably have told me I was crazy, but I threw on a pair of black pants that draped nicely and a silk halter top that fit the occasion. A pair of heels finished things out. Now I was a combination of casual and formal, too.

I grabbed my handbag and went back downstairs, taking more caution with the steps this time. When I rounded the corner at the landing, I was closer than I'd thought I would be to Tseng. I was close enough to notice that my semi-formal dress caught his eye.

Or maybe I looked like an office stiff.

"You didn't need to change," he said politely.

"It wasn't a big deal."

"Well, you look very nice."

"You think?" I asked, before really thinking about it. I didn't really wear this style often.

"I do. It's professional, but at the same time it is very sexy."

_Oh._ I wanted to die when that word came out of his mouth. It rolled off his lips in a way that went straight to my limbs and made them buzz. Maybe it was just as much the fact that I'd never heard him talk that way. It was unexpected and caught me off guard. Tseng found me sexy… what to do with that?

"Um... thank you," I fumbled, feeling goofy. The man had a way of turning me into a giddy little school girl. Not the most put together or mature thing, but it was kind of exciting at the time.

Tseng moved on as if he'd never said it, gesturing toward the door and following me as I weaved through the crowd. The minute we stepped outside, I immediately missed the sweater. The air was chilled and damp, the streets glowing beneath a sheer mist. The weather always turned quickly. I crossed my arms and shivered.

"The car warms up nicely. I also have a jacket in the car as well, if you'd like."

Definitely the thoughtful type, "Great, I didn't really think about the temperature. It was so warm inside."

"It's easy to forget sometimes."

He opened the passenger door on that 'monstrosity' as I called it. I smiled in thanks and slipped into cold leather. I couldn't wait for the heat. When he climbed into the driver's side, he handed me a light blazer which I accepted gratefully. I tossed it around my shoulders, backwards, and got a hint of his cologne.

He took the highway, clearly headed for the city. I didn't figure he'd know his way around my side of town. After a light touch of traffic we were speeding along toward the lights. I had to admit, the engine had a nice sound when he accelerated.

"What made you buy this car?" I had to ask.

"Well… it fits the image, doesn't it?"

Turks. "I guess, but…"

"Reno talked me into it, actually."

Figured. "Ha… well, I guess that does explain it."

"I ended up liking it once I drove it. I just care that it can go from point 'a' to point 'b' quickly."

"Seems fun to drive."

"It is, you should drive it back."

Really? "I can't drive it back. I'd probably wreck or something."

He shot me a look, disbelief if I remember. "I doubt it. I trust you."

And I had to wonder… what made him say that? I had nothing, so I smiled and looked away.

Soon, we were pulling into valet at a fairly nice looking place. The valet boy opened my door, but Tseng was around the car by that time. He helped me out and wrapped the jacket around my shoulders, holding me near. I was so taken aback by his actions that I forgot to breathe for a second. He was just full of surprises.

We hit the doors, and I remember the waitress asking how many. Tseng told her two, but my head was flashing through ideas about how it would be to hear two rather than one. I liked hearing it. I felt less like a shell and more like a woman. I liked how reserved he was, but how he'd show bits and pieces at a time. I liked the way he talked to me, and the words he chose so carefully. I liked the way he made me feel in such a short span of time. And it occurred to me that perhaps I just liked him…

The waitress led us to a secluded table. The setting was romantic, each table draped in lace and chiffon, hiding the diners from prying eyes. A candle danced in the center of the table, releasing a lovely fragrance that added the perfect finishing touch. I had never seen anything like it. She handed us both menus as we sat, and asked if we had a drink in mind. Tseng ordered a bottle of Riesling from Kalm, a choice I thought sounded just right. It was strange to have him order, but I didn't mind in the moment.

I glanced up from the menu, watching his eyes move from one item to the next as he studied his dinner choices. Yuffie had it right. He was definitely easy on the eyes. His brows knit together just before he smiled and looked up. I didn't have time to pretend I wasn't staring.

He had this odd hint of mischief in his eyes. "I think I'll be adventurous and order something new."

"Oh yeah? What sounds good?"

"I was thinking steak, since I don't often order red meat."

"That actually does sound pretty good."

"I think so. How about you?"

Oops. "I haven't really decided…" More like 'I was too distracted.'

"The pheasant is quite good."

"Is it? Maybe I'll try that."

Just in time, since the waitress was headed our way with glasses and the bottle of wine. She set one in front of each of us and poured the chilled wine, setting it in the cooler afterward.

"May I take your order now?"

She was so proper… but it fit the restaurant.

She was looking at me. "I'll have the pheasant with a light summer salad."

"Excellent. And for you sir?" She shifted toward Tseng, and so did her mood.

"I'll have the steak with whiskey sauce and vegetables."

I thought the order did anything but fit him. At least he had a sense of adventure. And could completely render waitresses speechless. She was totally checking him out, and I couldn't focus on anything but how jealous it made me. And at once I felt ridiculous for even being jealous.

She sighed dreamily, and said "I'll have those out in just a moment."

Uh huh. And something else, too, I bet…

I must have been glaring. Caught red handed. "Tifa?"

I pulled my eyes from her perfect hind view, "Huh?"

"Everything all right?"

"Sure, oh yeah…" I downed a little more wine than I had intended.

He laughed, "Okay."

Awkward minutes passed. What was up with me? Oh yeah, that's right. I was sitting in a restaurant that just happened to be way too fancy for me, watching a gorgeous waitresses eye my date, who was, by the way, someone I never even imagined seeing again. How we'd ended up on a date was even more of a mystery.

"So… how did class go?" he asked.

"Oh, just fine. I've been doing pretty well; I don't have too much longer to go before winter break."

"That's great."

"Yeah, it really is. I was so nervous to go back after so long."

"You haven't had trouble with that stalker, right?"

"Not yet. Hopefully I won't run into him… but I guess you never know."

"I hope you can avoid him. If you run into anything suspicious, just call me."

I was considering his protectiveness when the waitress brought our food to the table. The look I gave her resulted in a quick retreat on her part, and I grinned.

"Do you happen to know her?"

Shit, he'd noticed. "Um, sort of." I was making excuses.

"You don't get along?"

"You could say that…"

Following that brief conversation, we ate our meals, commenting on how great the dishes were or how the wine complemented this or that. We had just finished and were silently feeling ten pounds heavier when he caught me off guard.

His hand was soft, warm, and fit perfectly over mine. At first, the contact nearly made me dizzy… he was brushing his fingers over mine when he spoke.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to get back to you with the number. I might've caused you to lose a customer or two."

I fumbled for words; jaw slightly ajar for a moment. I recovered. "It's really not a problem."

"Work just tends to pull me away a lot. It isn't always easy for me to get in touch when I'm gone."

I wondered if this was some way of warning me what could come of involvement with him. I ignored the thought and chose another tone, not wanting to spoil the evening. "So you must get to see and do a lot of exciting things."

He seemed off balance, as if he were hoping for a different response. "Well, exciting is one word for it. There is a definite adrenaline rush involved, but really it's just plain dangerous some days."

"Huh… that sounds about right from what I recall about the Turks."

"Someone has to do it…"

"I suppose so. What makes you do it?" His hand felt warmer, I tackled his pinky with my index finger and trailed my fingertips over his knuckles. Slowly.

"I..uh,--" he cleared his throat, "--enjoy the work, and on occasion it is fulfilling."

He recovered fast, but had I shaken the unshakable?

"Don't worry, I'm not judging. I can't, I serve alcohol to alcoholics on occasion. We all have our downfalls on the way to making a life for ourselves."

"I've had many."

I could almost see what appeared to be guilt in his eyes and I considered how he felt about taking lives. I didn't have time to ask my next question, and was annoyed at the waitress's interruption.

Tseng paid the bill and left a tip, then guided me out to the car in the same fashion he'd brought me in. However, when we got to the car he opened my hand and left the keys there in my palm as he got into the passenger side.

The keys stared up at me. "What? Oh, Gaia, I can't."

"Yes you can."

The valet looked concerned, as if to say "Man, you're gonna let her drive that thing?"

The look Tseng had dared me with danger, and I decided that so long as I didn't actually bang up the car, there wasn't much that I could do wrong. I tossed the jacket at him before the walk of pride to the other side of the car. The valet looked ghostly when I climbed in and revved the engine.

"Just enjoy it. I'll be disappointed if you don't."

"Oh, no pressure or anything, right?" I grinned, a rather cheesy one at that.

"None." He laughed as I took off, tailgating the car in front of me until he got the hint and moved aside.

The highway had cleared, to my luck, and I blasted clear to the exit for the suburbs. Slums, whatever they went by these days. The thing had enough horsepower to put me back in my seat whenever I gunned it, no matter if I was already going fast enough to streak of the clearcoat. I was disappointed at how quickly the drive had gone. And silently. I had hoped my weaving would have Tseng white knuckled or at least begging for mercy, but his poker face was perfect. That or he didn't really care about worldly things like this car.

When I screeched to a halt, parallel to the curb, he simply smiled and said, "I should let you drive more often."

"I'd love that." For all my objections to such a showy car, it was a blast. I saw why he'd decided to buy it after the first test drive.

As I came around the front bumper, he touched my elbow and escorted me through the large crowd. I was surprised to see so many still, probably due to the new alcohol. Once at the stairs, I felt divided about saying goodbye in public or offering a quick trip upstairs. He was quicker than I was.

"Thanks for the evening, I really enjoyed it."

Before I could reply, he was close enough to kiss me. And like a true tease, his lips touched just above and to the left of mine. My cheeks warmed.

"Really, I should be thanking you. I really had a good time. First in a while."

Hey, let the teaser be the teased. I wasn't just going to sit back and take that. I draped an arm over his shoulder before he could move away, brushed my thumb against his neck, and kissed him in the exact place he'd kissed me.

Beat that.

He smiled as I reclaimed my arm and turned for the stairs. I made it to the top step before what I had just done came haunting. Who did I think I was? Flirting, teasing, and jealousy? All in one night? Either I was going insane, or Tseng had brought out my Mr. Hyde. And I kind of liked this new side.

--

_I never saw it coming. An image flashed through my head that night as I crawled into bed, considering how crazy the night had been and how different I had been in his presence. I imagined Tseng walking through the door after a long assignment, and I pictured myself being wrapped in his arms. It struck me as somewhat of a romantic lifestyle. It certainly would be anything but dull and routine. And maybe that led to the events that occurred in the weeks following that night… it's hard to say, but something had shifted again. I was fairly helpless to recognize it, or to change it._

* * *

I'm so happy to have finished this chapter, which sat on my flash drive for about a year. I really kind of lot it for a while, and am feeling immensely happy to have it back. Or so I think. You can all be the judge of that. Was this chapter a short-fall? I haven't been in the game for over a year, so I'm feeling self-conscious. Let me know, so that the next chapter can be a much better work. I have so many ideas for this story, I just can't even explain how fun it is to pick it back up. I just hope the pace isn't too fast. That's why I decided that there would not be a first kiss in this chapter. Need a little more time, but the subtle touches are working in my opinion. What do you think? There were also weeks in passing between the hotel and the phone call, so they had a while to smolder on the new connection. Any and all input will be greatly appreciated!


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